Legal Definitions - eleemosynarius

An eleemosynarius was a historical legal term for an officer, often called an "almoner," whose primary responsibility was to manage and distribute charitable funds and gifts. This individual would receive donations, rents, or other assets specifically designated for benevolent purposes and then ensure their proper allocation to support religious institutions, aid the poor, or fund other charitable endeavors. In certain contexts, particularly within English royal courts, the Eleemosynarius (or Lord Almoner) was a specific official tasked with overseeing the distribution of the monarch's charitable contributions.

Here are some examples to illustrate this historical role:

• Imagine a large medieval abbey that received numerous donations of land, tithes, and goods from pious benefactors. The abbey's eleemosynarius would have been the designated monk responsible for managing these charitable assets. This included overseeing the distribution of surplus food to the local poor, providing shelter for pilgrims, and allocating funds to support the abbey's infirmary or a local school for orphans.

  This illustrates the eleemosynarius as a chief officer within an institution, receiving "eleemosynary rents and gifts" (donations, tithes, goods) and distributing them for "pious and charitable uses" (feeding the poor, sheltering pilgrims, supporting infirmary/school).

• During the reign of King Henry VIII, the Lord Almoner, who served as the king's eleemosynarius, would have been responsible for managing the monarch's personal charitable giving. This officer would ensure that the royal bounty, perhaps in the form of money, food, or clothing, was regularly distributed to the needy citizens of London, supported various hospitals, or contributed to the upkeep of almshouses.

  This example directly reflects the second part of the definition, highlighting the eleemosynarius as a specific "officer of the English kings" (the Lord Almoner) who "distributed the royal alms or bounty" to charitable causes.